• A viral report claimed that Lieutenant Ahmad Yarima has survived an attempted assassination in Abuja
• The Naval officer reportedly used a strategic manoeuvre to escape the purported attack, coming days after his heated confrontation with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike
• However, the FCT Police Command has dismissed the report, describing the claims as false and unverified

Abuja, FCT – A report in the late hours of Sunday, November 16, claimed that Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant A. M. Yarima, who recently clashed with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, allegedly survived an assassination attempt in Abuja.

The report cited military sources as saying that the officer was trailed on Sunday by unidentified men dressed in black and riding in two unmarked Hilux vans without number plates.

The alleged assailants were said to have followed the Navy officer from the NIPCO Filling Station off the Line Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.

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According to Vanguard, a senior military source said Lt. Yarima noticed he was being followed and executed what was described as a ‘strategic manoeuvre’ to evade the suspected attackers.

“The officer observed he was under surveillance and took immediate tactical action to avoid danger.

“He succeeded in shaking them off. The matter is under investigation and is receiving the seriousness it deserves,” the source said.

The incident reportedly occurred at about 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 16.

The source added that further details were being withheld so as not to compromise ongoing investigations.

No assassination attempt on naval officer Yarima – Police

Reacting in a statement on Sunday night, November 16, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command dismissed the reports of the alleged assassination attempt and described the claims as false and unverified.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, described the claim as entirely false, noting that no such incident was reported or recorded anywhere within the FCT.

“The attention of the FCT Police Command has been drawn to publications circulating on social media alleging an attempted assassination on Lt. Ahmed Yerima.

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“The command wishes to categorically state that no such incident has been reported or recorded anywhere within the Federal Capital Territory.

“The public is advised to disregard this false information and desist from spreading unverified claims capable of causing unnecessary panic,” the statement read.

The police spokesperson urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the nearest police division.

Editorial note: Kindly note that this report has been updated to reflect the reaction of the FCT police command.

Naval officer and Wike’s drama in Abuja

The assassination scare comes days after Lt. Yarima engaged in a heated confrontation with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike at a disputed land site in Gaduwa District.

According to The Cable, a video captured showed the minister angrily addressing the officer while security personnel attempted to manage tensions at the scene.

The footage sparked widespread debates and forced the Presidency to suspend the demolition exercise linked to the dispute.

Veterans warned against any sanction against Yarima

Following the clash, military veterans across the country criticised Wike’s conduct and warned against any disciplinary action targeting the officer.

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The Spokesman for the Coalition of Retired Veterans, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, issued a stern warning.

“If the officer is punished, we will occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister. Military personnel swear allegiance to Nigeria, not to individual political office holders,” he said.

He added:

“How can a public office holder call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera? This behaviour undermines our national institutions and demeans the dignity of public office.”

Durowaiye-Herberts insisted that Wike must apologise to the officer, describing the minister’s remarks as unacceptable, Vanguard reported.

Defence Minister assures protection for lawful officers

Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has assured that no military personnel acting within the law will face sanctions over the confrontation.

Badaru said during a ministerial briefing ahead of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day:

“We will always protect officers and our armed forces personnel on lawful duty.

“Any officer on lawful duty will be protected if he is doing his job lawfully and doing it well.”

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Veterans had earlier vowed to mobilise and occupy the FCT Ministry if Lt. Yarima faced disciplinary action following his altercation with the FCT Minister.

Buratai speaks on Wike’s clash with military officers

Previously, Legit.ng reported that Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), might have gotten it wrong with his confrontation with an officer in uniform during his enforcement visit to a disputed land in Abuja on November 11.

In a Facebook post hours after the incident, the former army boss noted that the ‘public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces’ by the minister was a potential threat to the integrity of the institution and national security.

According to Buratai, Wike’s clash with the military officer was purely ‘profound indiscipline’, which was purely against Nigeria’s ‘command and control structure’, and called his actions direct disrespect to the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Tinubu.

Source: Legit.ng